gran hotel mas d'en bruno, priorat

the ideal day at gran hotel mas d'en bruno bon dia

morning:
In the summer the days are long and you don’t have to wake up too early to catch sunrise – head to the yoga deck or massage tent chaises around 6 or 6:30 to watch it rise with some centering and self-reflection. Maybe some journaling or writing (as I am doing this moment!)

Enjoy breakfast between 8-10:30. (The chocolate pastries and huge carafes of fresh juice were my favorite.)

Head out via bicycle or private driver for your exploration of the vineyards. (or your own car, if you have a pregnant DD such as myself. Please do not wager these insanely windy, steep roads after even a single glass.) If you opt for bicycle, stop at Torroja del Priorat for a look before continuing on to Gratallops.

The Mas d’en Bruno concierge is incredible, the highlight of our experience. (I paid too much attention to my eight groups traveling memorial day week, and completely neglected my own trip, so they completely saved the stay for us.) They can set up a visit with the owner and winemaker Carles Pastrana (or one of his colleagues) at Clos de l’Obac, which has a special relationship with the hotel – they own the land the hotel is placed on, and still use the surrounding grapes for their Miserere collection of wines. These are high end bottles, mostly €100 and up. Set this visit for around 11:30.

afternoon:
Afterwards, pop into town (a three minute bike ride) for a coursed wine pairing lunch at Clos Figueras which starts at 1pm. (They have a parking lot as well.) We are always on the search for a combined winery and restaurant, especially one with pairings and al fresco seating, and this one does it excellently. Their gorgeous backyard is perfect for children to run around, and an involved but approachable menu for 50 euros per person, served under the vine covered pergola of my dreams. (They have indoor seating as well.)

The concierge can recommend a third stop of the day, heading into a different region if you have a driver, or somewhere en route like Trossos del Priorat if you opt for the bike. If you head west, finish your day with a casual patio €2 wine or refreshing beer at Cal Centro, a tiny bodega overlooking gravity defying hilltop village La Vilella Baixa.
As the heat of the day is properly built – return to the hotel for a dip in the refreshingly not-heated pool, thoughtfully designed with a staircase in front of every cabana, benches along one entire side of the pool (which also doubles well as a floor for short swimmers like Stevie) and a gorgeous infinity edge out to the vines. The pool restaurant is open until 5 but you won’t need it after your filling lunch!

evening:
Refresh back in your room in the huge shower or freestanding bathtub. 

Head out for a coursed meal at Vinum, the onsite restaurant that provides amuse bouche (even if you're ordering a la carté) beautiful presentation, and wine pairings. We enjoyed chatting with the servers and bartender. While they have a handful of wines by the glass, either pour or Coravin, they also try to open a few additional “by the bottle” wines every day to serve by the glass, so that guests can try new wines throughout their stay, which we appreciated. 

Catch the stars while walking back to your room for a restful evening with the dim lights in the room, easily controlled by a master switch next to the bed.